Every century has its name preferences. The 18th-century is full of Marthas and Anns and Janes. I even have my hero jest about it in novel 11 when he meets the heroine whose name is more uncommon. As far as manly names, George reigns! Indeed, King George fought a war with America over its independence and now there’s the present day Prince George due to inherit the throne in England. A few of my other favorite Georges of yesteryear include George Washington, George Rogers Clark, George Mason, & George Whitefield.
There’s even a George in my own family tree that inspired A Bound Heart.
My George was a Scottish laird and Baronet, one of the Humes that clashed with England. Their hereditary estate, Wedderburn Castle, was in the fractious Scottish borders. The Humes have the sad footnote of having both a father and son killed in the same battle while the other six sons, called the Spears of Wedderburn, lived.
My George (6th great~grandfather) – “Geordie” as he was called within his family – was just one of the Humes who got into a bit of trouble with the king for his Jacobite politics which landed him in Marshalsea prison for high treason and found him exiled to America in 1721.
The plot twist in his story is that he was kin to Virginia’s royal governor who made him a Crown Surveyor for the colony. George Hume is credited with teaching the young George Washington surveying. His field books survive as do his letters to his family in Scotland.
Thus, the laird Magnus MacLeish was born in A Bound Heart. Though the fictitious laird takes a different path than my George, I hope you find it just as remarkable.
Only four more Tuesdays till the story of my heart & heritage!
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What an interesting family tree you have, Laura. Thanks for giving us a peek at it. It’s always fun to hear about real life people that inspire book characters.
Thank you for taking time here, dear Amy! As I wrote this I thought of all the fascinating stories from reading friends’ family trees. Endless and varied as the American people. Mutts, I call us at times. But proud of it!
Incredible. I didn’t want your George’s story to end!
I’m personally not a huge fan of the name George (love the name Georgia for a female). But if I had to pick a classic male name I do like John. Simple and timeless.
You also can’t go wrong with Katherine for a lady.
I’ve determined my own name is moving into the the old fashioned category, which I love, as I can’t seem to find personalized keychains anymore. 😉
So good to bring in December with you, Cindy 🙂 I’m not a big fan of George either but I do like John, especially Jon, and Katherine in any spelling. Chuckling about your own name. I don’t hear many of yours any more, come to think of it! I found another S name the other day I’m going to create character for in this Jamestown book – Sisley. She was actually one of the early settlers. I’m wondering though if she is actually Cecily but they didn’t know how to spell it! 🙂
The trends in names is so fascinating. But your family history is more so! I love when we can see God’s hand intervening as He surely did in your 6-great George’s journey. Reminds me of Joseph ` something intended to cause pain for someone, God flipped the situation for the good of many who follow. (Including your readers!)
Love the moniker Spears of Wedderburn. some day I will give you a grand laugh at a name in our family history. 🙂 Meanwhile, counting days to when A BOUND HEART is set free.
You cite one of my favorite if not THE favorite Bible stories, Mary Kay. My George is often referred to as ‘Immigrant George’ which makes me wonder what might have happened to our family if he’d not been convicted and transported and remained in Scotland. Lady Laura of Wedderburn sure has romantic appeal lol 🙂 I’d love to hear your family story, name and all. Never get enough of this ancestry stuff!
Love learning other people’s families stories. I am a sucker for genealogy. Even took a class earlier this year that was for work but ending up learning a lot about my dad’s paternal side. Found a lot of James and Johns and Jacobs in the family in the 1700s. Discovered that the first Miller on these was actually a Muller but changed their name to Miller to hide their Germanness during the Revolutionary war as they side with the Patriots and I guess didn’t want to be confused with Hessian soldiers hired by the British. His son Jacob left North Carolina for Virgina before the war and for his service in the war was given a land grant for what is now Logan county Kentucky today.
So the Cumberland Bride by Shannon Mcnear part of the Mayflower Brides series has become a new favorite frontier novel cause Kate in the novel is half German she has a German father, making it the first frontier novel that is close to my families journey to Kentucky.
You have rich roots! Fascinating about your Muller-Miller ancestry and the reasoning behind that. It makes sense and I don’t blame them! Taking a class like you did would be right up my historical alley, too. I did the ancestry test last fall and was shocked to find that I’m as much French or Western European as Scots. But I bleed blue like you, my KY sister 😉 And I have to read Cumberland Bride. The cover is beautiful and I like Shannon very much. Once I can breathe a bit after this release, I’ll dive in. Merry almost Christmas, dear Carissa!